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(No Modem y E. J. BROOKS. METALLIC SEAL.

Patented Maf. 4., 1884.

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"will z Y WITNESSES y .Y Y?. L y lNvEmoa By zzls Attorney N. PETERS,Pnnnrurnogmprm. wnhnmnn, n. c.

UNITED "STATI-'gs VPATENT t OFFICE.

EDWARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. J. BROOKS &CO., 'OF NEW YORK, N'. Y.

` METALLIC SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,577, dated March 4,1884 Application filed January 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Metallic Seals, of which the following is aspecication.

This linvention relates to improvements in' those metallic seals7composed partly of soft metal, lead being commonly used, and partly oftin7 or other sheet metal. Various-forms of these seals are showninUnited States Patents already granted for my inventions-Viz., No.178,722, dated June 13, -187 6; No. 209,008, dated October 15, 1878; No. 246,068, dated August 23,- 1881; No. 254,601, dated March 7, 1882;'No. 258,278, dated May .23, 1882; No. 260,27 9, dated June 27, 1882, andNo. 286,775, dated October 16, 1888.

My present invention is more particularly in continuation of my seriesof inventions relating to what I term cast-in seals. A seal of thisdescription is shown in said Patent No. 178,722- at Fig. 21, and theadvantages of the peculiarity are set forth in said Patents' No.246,068, No. 260,279, and No. 286,775, which relate exclusively tolead-and-tin seals of this lcast-in class.

This invention consists in certain novel features of construction and apeculiar combination of parts, hereinafter described and claimed, havingobjects as follows, to wit: first, to insure pressing each sealsufficiently to render the same secure against undetectable violation,and to afford in an easily-pressed seal composed in part ofvsoft metalthe advantages ofpermanent impressi-ons or indented distinguishing-marksin the relatively hard sheet metal; secondly,to adapt the sheet metalpart of such a seal to `be readily formed by bending; and, thirdly, tofurnish an inexpensive and secure cast-in seal of novel or peculiarshape, adapting it to be .readily distin-V guished from those now inuse, the construc` tion being otherwise advantageous, as hereinaftermore fully set forth.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this speciiication as part thereof.Figure l of these drawings is aperspective view of an unpressed andopen7 seal illustrating this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of thesame as applied to a hasp and staple and elosed7 ready for pressing.Fig. 3 is a like elevation or face view, showing vthe seal pressed.Figs. 3x and 3y represent'magnifled sections on the lines w :c and y y,Fig. 3, respectively. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a face'view and alongitudinal section of another seal open, illustrating a modificationofthe same invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a face View anda longitudinal section of the same applied to a pair of staples andpressed. f

Like lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures. 1

In either form my improved seal is composed of a sheet-metal strip, T,preferably of tin or tin-plate, and hereinafter described as of tin,having receptacles abformed in its respective ends, and a soft-metalpart, L, preferably leaden, and hereinafter described as of lead, castfast in said receptacle a, with one end protruding, as at c, in suitableshape to enter, and to a sufficient extent to fill, said .saidreceptacle b when the seal is applied and pressed; and, in either case,the seal would leave the factory straight, or simply bent to horseshoeshape, as shown in. Figs. 1, 4, and 5, with its parts permanently unitedby casting in the leaden part, as aforesaid. After applying'the sealto ahasp, h, and staple s, Figs. 2 and 3, or a pair of staples, s s', Figs.6 and 7, or any car-door fastening, box-fastening, or the like, in acustomary or approved way, and closing the seal by inserting theprotruding end c of the leaden part in said receptacle b, as illustratedby Fig. 2, the seal is finally pressedor stamped, as illustrated byFigs. 3, 3x, 3y, 4, and 7,-so'as to flatten said receptacles a b more orless, and so distort said end c of the leaden'part as to preclude itswithdrawal without such violence to the parts as would insure detection,the sheetmetal faces of said receptacles a b receiving at the same timethe press-mark indentations or sealing-impressions d. To makethesenecessary impressions even faintly in the ileXible tin involvessufficient pressure by means of the seal-press to insure .distorting therela-v tively soft lead to a sufficient extent to pre--v vent separatingthe ends of the seal withoutI detectable violence, while faintpress-marks would be just grounds for suspicion of the IOO sealer as inconlusion with thieves; and when l ration without detectable violence,before the the seal is properly pressed, as it can readily be withmoderate force, being inpart of lead, the highly-desirable permanentpress-marks of sheet-metal seals are obtained, while the leadfacilitates sinking them deeply, so as to render them distinct andunmistak'L ble, and at the same time the parts are inseparablyinterlocked inthe most effective manner, as shown in Figs 3", 3", and 7.

In that form represented by Figs. l to 3", inclusive, the strip T isprovided with bentup tubular receptacles adapted to be most readilyformed; and the seal possesses,further, a peculiar distinctive shape, asaforesaid-to wit, that of a hinge with axis transverse to the strip-saidprotruding end c of the leaden part L entering said receptacle b, inpreparing the seal for the press, as the pintle of a common loose hingeenters its socket. This construction, besides the distinctive hingeformwhich results, is advantageous, in that it guards against injuryof thesoftleaden part L in flattening the bow ofthe tin strip T more I or lessbefore the sealis pressed, the unpressed g seal working freely as ahinge. It also affords a large extent of unbroken face, f, to bear anydesired lettering, or other printed, stenciled, or embossed marks-suchas initials of' a railroad, the number of the seal, or the likeas shownin several of my previous patents aforesaid. To render this form of sealmore safe against insecurity when lightly pressed, or to provide forsimply pressing or flattening it without indenting the sheet metal, thereceptacle b,whieh receives the end c of the leaden part, may beprovided in course of manufacture with-a cut or recess, as indicated bydotted lines at g, Fig. 2,'to be filled bythe lead at the pressingoperation.

In the modification illustrated by Figs. 4 io 7, inclusive, therecptacles a b are die-formed, corresponding in shape and in mode ofproduction with the flange ends of hollow-headed metalliccartridge-shells, and, if the parts are properly proportioned, theprotruding end c of the leaden part will be upset or headed in saidreceptacle b, sufficiently to prevent separeceptacles are flattened toan appreciable eX- tent. Very soft annealed sheet-iron, or brass orcopper, as thin as may be desired, may be used to advantage in thisshape in the manufacture of these seals.

The hasp 7L (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) is provided with a supplementalstaple or eye, e, on its face, to facilitate securing it on the staples, by a seal of this description used alone. This, however, forms nopart of my present invention, and is not to be considered essentialthereto.

Having thus described my said improvement in metallic seals, I claim asmy inventionl. A metallic seal of sheet metal and soft metal combined,having compressible receptacles a b, formed at the respective ends ofthe sheet-metal strip, and its soft-metal part cast fast in one of saidreceptacles, and constructed with a protruding end, adapted to enter theother of said receptacles, and to be secured therein when the seal ispressed, substantially as herein specified, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in' a metallic seal, of a sheet-metal stripconstructed with bent-up tubular compressible receptacles at itsrespective ends, and a leaden part cast fast in one oi' said receptaclesand having a protruding end fitted to enter the other, said receptaclesbeing adapted to beilattened upon thelead within them and to receivedeep indented pressmarks, substantially as herein specified, for thepurposes set forth.

3. An improved metallic seal composed of a sheet-metal strip having itsrespective ends constructed with bent-up tubular receptacles, and aleaden part cast fast in one ot' said receptacles, having a protrudingend fitted to the other, said receptacles and leaden part forming, whenunited and unpressed, a loose hinge with its axis transverse to thestrip, substantially as herein specified, for the purposes set forth.

EDWARD J. BROOKS. Vitn esses:

H. L. C. VEsT, L. F. Hovnv.

